Nachrüsten

English translation: more thoughts on aftermarket installation

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09:54 Dec 7, 2000

German to English translations [PRO]Marketing

German term or phrase:Nachrüsten

This is not in reference to Pershing II missiles; it is part of my "Schrauber" project. Automobile accessories to be sold to "Schrauber".

So far I have "retrofit", "back fit" (?? or backfit ??), "up grade" or simply "install" or "put in". This is for worldwide consumption with emphasis on North American consumers. My dictionaries love "retrofit" but I have not heard it used often, is "retrofit" a good choice? For example:

Explanation:As a native speaker, I'd like to add my humble opinion.
I'd say it depends in part on whether Bill did the work himself or not. Even though retrofit is an acceptable verb, I believe it's use as such may be confined more to industrial settings. However, there is really nothing wrong with it.

If he does the upgrading himself, I think I'd say "he installed power windows in his car" or "he outfitted/ upgraded his car with power windows."

On the other hand, if he has it done,
it sounds perfectly alright to me to say "he had his car retrofitted with power windows," or "he had power windows installed in his car."

Anecdotal: just bought a new car myself, and one of the bells and whistles it is missing is foglights. I'm planning to have them added by the dealership. When I talk about it, which includes discussing it with the technicians who will do the work, reference is generally made to "having foglights installed."

The majority should rule and Mats was here first, but I have the feeling most of you are no more motorheads than I am. I would bet that if I could ask 100 real Schraubers, the vast majority would say, "put in" or "installed" rather than something with "retrofit".

I tried uel's URL. The sites looked good but many were written at an automotive engineering level.

I'm learning a lot here. I just tried "power window winder" on AltaVista because the term was new to me. I got one hit for a car made in India.

For +retrofit +"power windows" +car - there were 58 hits, nearly all pertinent, but 58 hits in the English internet is not what I would call universally known.

For +install +"power windows" +car - there were 900 hits, also nearly all pertinent. 15 times as many as for "retrofit".

Because Beth made the most use of the word "install", especially where she mentioned the mechanics, I have to go against the majority and choose her answer.

Sorry this grading justification was so long but I wanted you to know that I did understand your answers and gave the grading considerable thought.

Explanation:I'd say retrofit is alright as a noun, but it makes for a horribly unspeakable verb. In this case it is better to split it and say "Bill fitted electrical window winders late" or "added electrical window winders to his car" etc.
You can read retrofit in some adverts, but you wouldn't ever here anybody on the streets say: I retrofitted such and such. They'd say: I put some extra window winders in. I added window winders as an extra. etc.
HTH

Explanation:As a native speaker, I'd like to add my humble opinion.
I'd say it depends in part on whether Bill did the work himself or not. Even though retrofit is an acceptable verb, I believe it's use as such may be confined more to industrial settings. However, there is really nothing wrong with it.

If he does the upgrading himself, I think I'd say "he installed power windows in his car" or "he outfitted/ upgraded his car with power windows."

On the other hand, if he has it done,
it sounds perfectly alright to me to say "he had his car retrofitted with power windows," or "he had power windows installed in his car."

Anecdotal: just bought a new car myself, and one of the bells and whistles it is missing is foglights. I'm planning to have them added by the dealership. When I talk about it, which includes discussing it with the technicians who will do the work, reference is generally made to "having foglights installed."

The majority should rule and Mats was here first, but I have the feeling most of you are no more motorheads than I am. I would bet that if I could ask 100 real Schraubers, the vast majority would say, "put in" or "installed" rather than something with "retrofit".

I tried uel's URL. The sites looked good but many were written at an automotive engineering level.

I'm learning a lot here. I just tried "power window winder" on AltaVista because the term was new to me. I got one hit for a car made in India.

For +retrofit +"power windows" +car - there were 58 hits, nearly all pertinent, but 58 hits in the English internet is not what I would call universally known.

For +install +"power windows" +car - there were 900 hits, also nearly all pertinent. 15 times as many as for "retrofit".

Because Beth made the most use of the word "install", especially where she mentioned the mechanics, I have to go against the majority and choose her answer.

Sorry this grading justification was so long but I wanted you to know that I did understand your answers and gave the grading considerable thought.

Explanation:Having a look at the number of hits produced, I think retrofit is the only candidate. But to go back to your original context, I would suggest using it adjectivally, i.e.
Elektrische Fensterheber zum Nachruesten=
retrofit window motors

Explanation:Just an afterthought: there is definitely an Atlantic divide here. Install is used in the UK, but fitting is standard. And nobody, definitely, talks of power windows (you'd think they're some kind of explosive). We talk of electric windows or electric window winders.

Explanation:Based on your last comment I ran the following AltaVista English enquiries:

"electric window winders" = 10 hits

"electrical window winders" = 1 hit

+"electric(al) windows" +uk +cars = 3500 hits

+"power windows" +uk +cars = 600 hits

The above plus operators do not work too well but they give a rough idea. The +uk gets mostly sites from the UK or that mention the UK. The +cars gets rid of most of the Microsoft sites. We can see that you are absolutely right, "electric windows" are about six times as well known in the UK as "power windows". Reversing the UK operator yields:

+"electric(al) windows" -uk +cars = 5,000 hits

+"power windows" -uk +cars = 37,000 hits

This shows the rough relationship outside the UK. I think Americans would understand "electric windows" but since the customer is mainly interested in the US market and has engaged me because he wants US English, I will probably leave it with "power windows" but let him know that on your quaint little island, people prefer "electric windows". At least you have a functioning elected government.

As far as "fit" versus "install" goes, we will have to hope that everyone will understand "install" because if I tell the customer he has to write "fit/install", he will throw me out on my ear.